LEIGH SALES, PRESENTER: This weekend one of Asia's longest-serving and most controversial politicians is seeking re-election. 74-year-old Abdul Taib Mahmud has ruled the Malaysian state of Sarawak for 30 years, turning it into an industrialised economy, mostly by exporting timber and palm oil. But that's come at the expense of the country's fabled rainforests, attracting international condemnation. Even though Taib Mahmud is almost sure to be returned to office, an unlikely duo's leading a growing global campaign against him. Mike Sexton reports.

MIKE SEXTON, REPORTER: Every day in a flat in the heart of London an unlikely duo broadcasts to an audience on the other side of the world. Behind the microphone is Peter John Jaban, the grandson of a head-hunter from the jungles of Borneo and behind the scenes is British investigative reporter Clare Rewcastle-Brown, sister-in-law of former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

CLARE REWCASTLE-BROWN, RADIO FREE SARAWAK: We make a very good pair. We care about the same things.

MIKE SEXTON: Together they run Radio Free Sarawak, a tiny operation campaigning against one of Asia's most successful politicians, the Chief Minister of Sarawak, Taib Mahmud, whose business empire reportedly stretches across the globe, including Australia.

CLARE REWCASTLE-BROWN: I would describe him as a dictator in all but name. He utterly controls Sarawak. He and his family own anything that's worth owning in Sarawak. They first brought everything into government monopoly and then privatised it into their own possession.

MIKE SEXTON: Sarawak lies on the island of Borneo and is the largest state in Malaysia. Before independence in 1963, it was a British colony and among the expats living there was the Rewcastle family.

CLARE REWCASTLE-BROWN: I was born in Sarawak and grew up there, spent my early childhood there and so I have very happy memories. And I remember a beautiful jungle that was my home and wonderful people that were my first friends.

a case is in the process of joining those who have completed the sale of frigates to Taiwan and then in Pakistan: that of French submarines purchased by Malaysia.

A further complaint must be filed in the coming days, this time with formation of

plaintiff, by Suaram, a Malaysian NGO fighting against corruption, a member of the International Federation of Human Rights which has already brought to court in November 2009.

Suaram thereby accessing elements of the investigation. A way also, to push the prosecution to enter a judge, last step before a trial could take years.

As for contracts obtained by the DCN submarine frigate to Pakistan and Taiwan, the suspicions of rétrocommissions to French political parties are becoming clearer. (See graphic)

This case concerns the sale of two Scorpene submarines and an Agosta submarine to the Malaysian government. A contract worth approximately one billion euros in 2002 concluded with the past by the Malaysian DCNS (former DCN, Directorate of Naval Construction) and Thales.

The body of the mannequin exploded C4

Sex, murder, bribery, and suspicions of rétrocommissions wines: the cocktail is explosive. It all started with the 2006 murder, Altantuya Shaaribu, a young model and also performer through this market. His body was found in the Malaysian jungle after being detonated C4.

The Malaysian press said then that the young woman was loudly claimed to have eliminated its share of the commission in an arms deal, which other players are none other than her lover, Abdul Razak Baginda, a friend and adviser of the third person involved : Najib Nazak, then Minister of Defence of Malaysia and now prime minister.

But this dark matter hides another, which the French courts eventually seize. Suaram in November 2009 filed a first complaint against X for the Paris prosecutors' active corruption, bribery, influence peddling and abuse of corporate assets. " The state prosecutor Jean-Claude Marin opened a preliminary investigation.

At the time, it is suspected that a bribe of 114 million euros had been paid by the Armaris (a subsidiary of Thales and DCNI) to the current Prime Minister Najib Razak and his entourage, Perimekar through the company.

The company, formally established to "coordinate" the sale of three submarines, is the majority shareholder Abdul Razak Baginda's wife.

France in the offense because of the OECD Convention

In the complaint filed in December 2009, the plaintiffs argue, however, that the sight of the manner of exercise of the company

"No doubt that such person [Perimekar] was created with a single goal: to organize the payment of the commission to distribute the amount among different beneficiaries Malaysian officials and / or Malaysian or foreign intermediaries."

However, the contract was signed after the coming into force in France of the OECD Convention in 2000, which penalizes the bribery of foreign public officials in ten years' imprisonment and a 150,000 euros fine.

Following this complaint, a preliminary investigation is conducted by the prosecution: the hearings are conducted and searches were conducted in the premises of DCNS and Thales.

The books of Philip Gerard Menai, former chief financial officer of the DCN indicted in Case Karachi, revealed in September 2008, also confirms the suspicions of kickbacks. In his memorandum ( PDF ), Menai mentions the submarine contract in Malaysia as follows:

"Since the entry into force of the OECD convention against corruption, in September 2000, only two contracts were signed with India and Malaysia in 2002.

These two contracts are the result of marketing activities undertaken prior to the OECD Convention. They are also both suspected non-compliance with this Convention. I have evidence that can support it. "

At the time of signing the contract, the Minister of Defence Alain Richard, in the government of Lionel Jospin.

Three commissions instead of one for the sale of submarines

With the new complaint to come, and the revival of this case, new elements are brought by the plaintiffs.

First, according to sources cited by the complainants, it would not Armaris which paid 114 million euros Perimekar, but the Malaysian government, "the sole purpose of circumventing the OECD convention."

A revelation as the Malaysian Minister of Defence had come to "confess" the payments by foreign companies to Perimekar ...

Where did the money go? Was there political classes rétrocommissions Malaysian and French?

Secondly, there would not have a single committee, but three. At the 114 million euros plus two installments:

- one paid by the commercial networks DCNI of Thales, for more than 30 million euros, of "selling expenses related to the negotiation and execution of the contract";

- the other for $ 2.5 million.

However, according to Gerard Philippe Menai:

"Until the entry into force in France of the OECD Convention against corruption, no contract of sale of defense equipment to an emerging country could not take place without payment of commissions to policy makers (euphemistically called" fresh commercial export "or" CFE "). "

The second commission was paid by Thales to a recipient unknown to convince the Malaysian government of the need for additional work.

Finally, according to the complaint filed by the firm Bourdon, a lawyer Suaram, society Gifen established in Malta by Jean-Marie Boivin intervened in the negotiations "to facilitate money transfers in this case", including finance and travel Baginda Altantuya.

The "catch" is that Jean-Marie Boivin is also cited in the case of Karachi ... for his role in the system for supplying the slush funds of political parties.

Photos: Altantuya Shaaribu (DR), the first Malaysian submarine, a Scorpene made in France, in the port of Kuala Lumpur in September 2009 (Bazuka Muhammad / Reuters).

Today, Malaysia Today is running a spot the spin contest. See if you can spot the spin from what I actually said in my interview in Australia with regards to the Statutory Declaration that I signed in 2008 and what I told the police during my interrogation. Hint: look for the key words. _ _ _ _ _ _ ?